Halfway to Halloween has come and gone. The kites have cleared out over Pasadena. The fog machines are back in storage. For about five minutes, it almost felt like Los Angeles was taking a breather.
Not a chance.
This is Los Angeles, home to the Halloween Capital of the World, where spooky season never really leaves. It just changes costumes. Jacaranda trees are dropping purple confetti across your windshield, the evenings are getting warmer, and all over the city, the strange stuff is waking back up. If you’re trying to keep up with it all, that’s why Spectra LA exists.
- LA County Fair
May 7 through May 31
Back at Fairplex in Pomona, the fair returns with carnival rides, live music, livestock, deep fried everything, and enough neon to light up half Southern California. Wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to walk more than you planned. Tickets and more info here. - Raging Waters Los Angeles
Now open for the 2026 season
Nothing says “Halfway to Halloween” like launching yourself down a water slide at emotionally questionable speeds. Southern California’s biggest water park is back. Tickets and more info here. - Museum of Contemporary Art Annual Plant Sale
May 16
Buy a weird succulent, admire some ceramics, and accidentally spend your grocery budget on a cactus in an artfully imperfect pot. Tickets and more info here. - Artazan Handcraft Market
May 16 through May 17
More than 200 artisans fill the convention center in Pasadena with handmade art, jewelry, textiles, workshops, and craftsmanship that makes your abandoned Etsy shop feel guilty. Tickets and more info here. - Autry Museum of the American West After Hours: May Music Nights & Cowboy Cocktails
May 21
Live music, barbecue, whiskey, and cowboy energy all in one place. Dress accordingly, even if your closest ranch experience is the poultry aisle at Trader Joe’s. Tickets and more info here. - The Mystic Museum
New exhibit opening this month
Burbank’s favorite horror clubhouse goes full creature feature on May 22 with When Monsters Attack!, a new immersive walk through packed with monster sets, practical effects, interactive photo ops, laser tag, and just enough flashing lights, fake blood, and “I probably shouldn’t have opened that door” energy to make you forget you came for a casual museum night. Tickets and more info here.
- Monsterpalooza
May 29 through May 31
Practical effects legends, horror icons, monster makeup demos, collectibles, panels, and enough latex creatures to make your inner twelve year old lose composure. Tickets and more info here. - Museums of the Arroyo Day
May 31
One day. Multiple historic museums. Free admission. If you’ve ever driven through the Arroyo and thought “something weird happened here,” this is your day. Tickets and more info here.
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